Sacred Friendship
“You can’t get free alone. Our conditioning reinforces the delusion that we are separate - that not only our sorrows but also our joys are ours alone.
Be a botanist of benevolence, of each other’s basic goodness - rigorously oriented towards liberation - offering wise compassion and skillful honesty.
No matter where you are on this journey, you are worthy of love and connection.
Our “best self” is the self in search of liberation - freedom from conditioning, the delusion that we are separate, and freedom to rest in the present with a fresh mind and open heart.
We continue to work with the principles and practices outlined in these quotes by Sah D’Simone from his upcoming book Spiritually, We: The Art of Relating and Connecting From the Heart.
Freedom is our true nature
Liberation is as simple as stabilized present-moment awareness. Your mind is calm and concentrated. It’s at rest.
You are where your body is, and when you’re there, you have access to your heart.
The liberated self is a mind inhabiting a body. It’s a heart that’s wide open: someone taking care of their own needs while bettering the world simultaneously.
Shine your light on yourself - it is very hard to truly accept others, to believe that others are innately good, if you’re withholding this from yourself.
Feelings that separate, isolate and shame you are part of collective suffering and you are part of the collective. You are not alone. We all suffer. We can’t control life. Death, illness and heartbreak are part of living.
I am not alone in my suffering. This is not unique to me. Suffering does not mean there is something wrong with me. Just like me, others want to be free and happy.
Our joy is the joy of the world.
It becomes our job to keep expanding and developing our joy. Watch Mission: Joy on Netflix, a documentary with the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu to see a deep loving friendship between two people who are very different and enjoy each other immensely.
The purpose of relationship is to help one another evolve, to be mirrors for each other, to see the goodness in each other, and to enjoy one another.
I accept my inner goodness. My behavior is not who I am.
I accept my friend’s inner goodness. Their behavior is not who they are.
I enjoy myself.
I enjoy my friend.
As you inquire, notice what supports this and what makes this more difficult.
I cultivate open-hearted joy
We can support each other in exploring and connecting in sacred friendship. Join us in our Sunday free community class to inquire and share together. Details to join us here.
